Mesotherapy versus liposuction
I get numerous emails from both women and men who want to get a liposuction procedure done so that they can lose weight without the pain of dieting and/or exercise. I guess we Americans like short cuts. (Related article: Can I have plastic surgery safely?)
Then there are those who are simply terrified of going under the knife. The thought that they might never return from the sleep in the surgery room is too scary for them, despite the fact that problems related to anesthesia are rare. These are the people who fall into the trap of diet pills (think TrimSpa) or all kinds of other solutions for weight loss that just don't work. (Related article: Plastic surgery goes mainstream)
One popular procedure among those who do not want a plastic surgery procedure is known as mesotherapy. All you need to do is to get a couple of injections and you are done. But not so fast. Mesotherapy is not necessarily a substitute for liposuction. According to a recent report published in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (PRS), the official medical journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), patients should be skeptical of mesotherapy until the safety and effectiveness of the procedure are confirmed. "The promise of a non-surgical, permanent method for fat removal and body contouring is obviously very appealing, but mesotherapy is not proven to be the miracle cure to a thinner you," said Dr. Alan Matarasso, study co-author. "The problem with mesotherapy is the whole technique is shrouded in mystery. Liposuction remains the only proven method to safely and permanently remove fat." (Related article: Liposuction safety)
Touted as a non-surgical alternative to liposuction, mesotherapy involves injecting medications and plant extracts into layers of fat and connective tissue under the skin. The injected ingredients may include agents that are used to open blood vessels, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAID), enzymes, nutrients, antibiotics and hormones.
Mesotherapy may be used in conjunction with dietary modification, hormone replacement therapy, exercise and nutritional supplements. No drug is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for use in mesotherapy.
Although the practice of mesotherapy has been around for decades in Europe, it has only recently been introduced in the United States. There are no published scientific studies demonstrating if the effects are permanent, why or if certain ingredients work, or how safe mesotherapy is for patients. In addition, there is no standardization in mesotherapy. The types of drugs used vary from physician to physician as does the quantity and frequency of injections.
Mesotherapy may cost $1,000 to $1,500 per treatment with three to six treatments required. This can prove costly for patients who may not receive the desired results. Currently, liposuction is the only method that has been proven to safely and effectively remove fat. According to ASPS statistics, liposuction was the most popular cosmetic surgical procedure in 2004, with more than 325,000 procedures performed.
"Without data to support claims that mesotherapy works, the procedure appears to be a mystic type of therapy," said Dr. Susan Kaweski. "The DATA Committee has not seen any long-term studies that would prove mesotherapy actually removes fat from the body. We need to know a lot more about this procedure before plastic surgeons can endorse mesotherapy and recommend it to patients."
So if you are afraid of liposuction, then you must learn to diet and exercise, if you are serious about getting a great body.
Recommended articles
Plastic surgery - the perfect gift
Plastic surgery in Mexico
Plastic surgery overseas
Then there are those who are simply terrified of going under the knife. The thought that they might never return from the sleep in the surgery room is too scary for them, despite the fact that problems related to anesthesia are rare. These are the people who fall into the trap of diet pills (think TrimSpa) or all kinds of other solutions for weight loss that just don't work. (Related article: Plastic surgery goes mainstream)
One popular procedure among those who do not want a plastic surgery procedure is known as mesotherapy. All you need to do is to get a couple of injections and you are done. But not so fast. Mesotherapy is not necessarily a substitute for liposuction. According to a recent report published in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (PRS), the official medical journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), patients should be skeptical of mesotherapy until the safety and effectiveness of the procedure are confirmed. "The promise of a non-surgical, permanent method for fat removal and body contouring is obviously very appealing, but mesotherapy is not proven to be the miracle cure to a thinner you," said Dr. Alan Matarasso, study co-author. "The problem with mesotherapy is the whole technique is shrouded in mystery. Liposuction remains the only proven method to safely and permanently remove fat." (Related article: Liposuction safety)
Touted as a non-surgical alternative to liposuction, mesotherapy involves injecting medications and plant extracts into layers of fat and connective tissue under the skin. The injected ingredients may include agents that are used to open blood vessels, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAID), enzymes, nutrients, antibiotics and hormones.
Mesotherapy may be used in conjunction with dietary modification, hormone replacement therapy, exercise and nutritional supplements. No drug is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for use in mesotherapy.
Although the practice of mesotherapy has been around for decades in Europe, it has only recently been introduced in the United States. There are no published scientific studies demonstrating if the effects are permanent, why or if certain ingredients work, or how safe mesotherapy is for patients. In addition, there is no standardization in mesotherapy. The types of drugs used vary from physician to physician as does the quantity and frequency of injections.
Mesotherapy may cost $1,000 to $1,500 per treatment with three to six treatments required. This can prove costly for patients who may not receive the desired results. Currently, liposuction is the only method that has been proven to safely and effectively remove fat. According to ASPS statistics, liposuction was the most popular cosmetic surgical procedure in 2004, with more than 325,000 procedures performed.
"Without data to support claims that mesotherapy works, the procedure appears to be a mystic type of therapy," said Dr. Susan Kaweski. "The DATA Committee has not seen any long-term studies that would prove mesotherapy actually removes fat from the body. We need to know a lot more about this procedure before plastic surgeons can endorse mesotherapy and recommend it to patients."
So if you are afraid of liposuction, then you must learn to diet and exercise, if you are serious about getting a great body.
Recommended articles
Plastic surgery - the perfect gift
Plastic surgery in Mexico
Plastic surgery overseas
posted by eCreativa Media @ 4/19/2005 09:31:00 PM
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